Why go by train
The biggest advantage is freedom from the car park. With no car to walk back to, you can walk in a line rather than a loop: off at one station, on at another, covering ground a circular walk never could. Long trails become a series of day walks, and the journey itself is part of the day rather than time spent driving.
Finding a walk
Search from your postcode or station and set how long you're happy to travel. The results show every destination station within that time, with the protected landscapes, trails and hills each one gives you. You can narrow them by type of landscape, change how far from each place a station may be, and open any station to see its nearby hills and waymarked routes.
If you'd rather browse, start from a place: National Parks, National Trails, Heritage Coasts or every other way to explore.
Tickets and railcards
A railcard takes up to a third off most rail fares in Great Britain, and pays for itself quickly if you travel to walk regularly. There are nine national railcards, including the 16-25, 26-30, Two Together, Senior and Family & Friends cards, and a one-year card typically costs around £35. Each has its own time restrictions, so check them for your journey. Source
Planning the day
- 1
Work back from the last train. Trains on rural lines can be hours apart and the last one back is often early. Know when it leaves before you set off, and plan your walk so you reach the station with time to spare.
- 2
Check your train calls at your station. Not every train stops at every small station, so check the one you plan to catch actually stops at yours, in both directions.
- 3
Use the timetable for your date. Engineering works and seasonal changes are common on rural lines, so check the day you're travelling, not just the usual pattern.
- 4
Walk station to station. On lines with several stations close to a trail, you can pick where to finish once you know how the day is going. RailTrails splits National Trails into station-to-station sections for exactly this.
Dogs and bikes
Each passenger can take up to two dogs free of charge, kept on a lead (or in a carrier) and off the seats. Source
Bikes travel free on most trains, but spaces are limited and many train companies ask you to reserve one, and the rules differ from company to company. Check the policy for the operator you're travelling with. Source
Where to go next
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